Characteristics of Internet Users and Their Privacy Concerns

Abstract

Concern about the privacy of online consumers is a global issue. Given the global nature of the Internet, companies planning and implementing e-commerce must understand the differences in privacy concerns of consumers in different cultures with different social/economic contexts to become effective in business. Motivated by this need, this study analyzes and compares the privacy concerns of online consumers in China and the United States, identifies major factors related to these concerns, and discusses the cultural/social/economic backgrounds of the related phenomena found in the study.     

电子商务对营销渠道管理的影响

通过对近些年来学术界关于电子商务对营销渠道影响相关文献的总结,本文评述了电子商务在营销渠道设计、营销渠道成员选择和管理、营销渠道评价等方面的影响:在营销渠道设计方面,学者们的研究集中在电子商务作为一种新的营销渠道的特性,与这一个新的渠道和旧渠道之间的关系等方向;在营销渠道成员选择和管理方面,相关研究主要集中在渠道冲突管理上;营销渠道评价方面的研究主要是为新的渠道设计新的绩效评价体系。因此,未来的相关研究应该集中在电子营销渠道和传统营销渠道的协同和替代作用,不同国家、不同经济水平和文化氛围对于渠道间关系的影响,以及多种渠道下企业营销策略研究等方面。     

Online Privacy Policies and Diffusion Theory Perspectives

ABSTRACT

The use of the Internet and related technologies in data sharing and new product development, which essentially serves as a foundation for the management of data flows for strategic IT, are rapidly expanding. The innovation clusters and frameworks to characterize recent e-commerce sites' privacy policies to ensure confidentiality of personal information have been under increasing academic inquiries. An application of Rogers' (1995) diffusion of innovation or technology concepts as applied to the Internet is used to develop several models of e-commerce related security and privacy concerns. One possible solution discussed is the strategic leveraging of a consortium model, providing for governmental assurances of privacy and security. Unfortunately, the current e-commerce model has no governing body to represent the consumer and e-tailer in terms of privacy and security issues so critical to the continued growth and success of the Internet.     

A Model Integrating the Multidimensional Developmental Theory of Privacy and Theory of Planned Behavior to Examine Fabrication of Information Online

We investigate the antecedents behind online consumers' attempt to disguise their identities through fabrication. We first develop a general conceptual model that draws on two extant theoretical frameworks: (1) Laufer and Wolfe's Multidimensional Approach to Privacy, and (2) Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with Perceived Moral Obligation. Next we conduct an empirical study using SEM to test the portion of the conceptual model based on the TPB framework. Results demonstrate that Attitudes, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Perceived Moral Obligation are significant drivers of fabrication, while Subjective Norms are not. Anonymity, one of the unique characteristics of the Internet compared to in-store environments, likely contributed to the intention to fabricate information. In the concluding section we discuss the implications of our empirical results, industry self-regulation and public policy considerations, and how future research can draw upon the conceptual Laufer and Wolfe framework, particularly the calculus of behavior construct, to further enrich our understanding of fabrication behavior on the Internet.     

黄冈农副产品电子商务平台推广及网络销售策略

黄冈市由于缺乏有效的市场渠道,营销观念不强,市场开拓不足,致使资源丰富的农副产品商品率低、市场知名度不高的状况长期得不到扭转。黄冈市应把具有黄冈特色,凝结黄冈历史、风情、地理、民族特色以及具有实用、美观、可藏等特点的黄冈土特产品,按中、高档次进行分类,锁定目标客户,建立电子商务平台,实施网络销售策略,通过搜索引擎营销、论坛营销、软文营销、视频营销等手段,引领黄冈农副产品进入国内国际市场,进而促进黄冈农业产业化发展。     

刍议移动互联网传统零售企业营销能力的提升

面对运用现代信息技术而形成的新型商业模式的竞争,传统零售业在经营观念、人才储备、基础设施、创新精神上,都处于不利的位置。传统零售企业可以借助无线互联网技术,借鉴电子商务企业的成功经验,开展营销业务与手段的创新;开展基于LBS服务创新;通过APP占领消费者手机桌面;利用顾客碎片化时间;开设智能商店;提供移动在线客服;加大客户数据挖掘,使无线营销活动更具有针对性。     

The Privacy Paradox: Personal Information Disclosure Intentions versus Behaviors

Impelled by the development of technologies that facilitate collection, distribution, storage, and manipulation of personal consumer information, privacy has become a “hot” topic for policy makers. Commercial interests seek to maximize and then leverage the value of consumer information, while, at the same time, consumers voice concerns that their rights and ability to control their personal information in the marketplace are being violated. However, despite the complaints, it appears that consumers freely provide personal data. This research explores what we call the “privacy paradox” or the relationship between individuals’ intentions to disclose personal information and their actual personal information disclosure behaviors.     

Self-Disclosure and Managing Privacy: Implications for Interpersonal and Online Communication for Consumers and Marketers

In our fast-changing technological world, the line between the offline and online world has become blurred and individuals are faced with constant opportunities to divulge personal details. The process of disclosing sensitive information to others is necessary for establishing, maintaining, and building relationships, both with people and businesses; however, it also creates opportunities for misuse of the disclosed information. Consumers who are willing to disclose personal information online may often be unaware of the full implications of such disclosure. By thoroughly exploring the origins and processes of self-disclosure, and outlining its development in interpersonal and online communication, individuals will become more aware of their (sometimes competing) implicit and explicit disclosure behaviors necessary for enacting strong privacy management. Utilizing communication privacy management (CPM) theory, this article proposes a framework for ongoing consideration of how self-disclosure and privacy function online. By framing privacy in terms of the literature of communicative self-disclosure, CPM instructs the building of privacy boundaries that are functional for consumers and marketers alike, allowing people to protect themselves online while also ensuring their continued enjoyment of Internet provided benefits.     

社交网络可视化分析对电商企业网络口碑营销的影响

社交网络可视化分析能够高效地对海量数据进行简化处理,从而成为帮助电商企业推进网络口碑营销的重要工具。本文以电商企业为研究对象,通过实证调查的方法来探究企业内部社交网络可视化分析对电商企业网络口碑营销的影响。调查发现社交网络可视化分析在电商企业的市场定位、营销定向、营销成本、工作效率以及经济效益等方面都有积极的作用。本文研究以期为电商企业进行优质的网络口碑营销提供理论支持。     

浅谈电子商务的安全隐私保护

随着电子商务各种安全技术的发展,网络交易安全成为电子商务发展的核心和关键因素,个人信息保护虽然已是电子商务中早已受到关注的话题,不过到目前为止,电子商务网站对消费者个人因素保护特别是网络隐私权的保护仍存在种种问题,这种状况已经成为电子商务发展的制约因素之一,为此在电子商务环境下如何对网络隐私权实施安全的有效保护,成为电子商务顺利发展的重要因素。     

To Share and Protect: Using Regulatory Focus Theory to Examine the Privacy Paradox of Consumers' Social Media Engagement and Online Privacy Protection Behaviors

Consumers' personal information often informs retailers' marketing efforts in terms of creating value in the online marketplace. This study examines four factors related to consumers' social media engagement and online privacy protection behaviors. Regulatory focus, social exchange, and marketing relationship theories explain the online consumer personal information share-and-protect model developed. Consumers aged 18–64 years across the United States participated in this survey research. The results suggest that while personal privacy violation experience and perceived secondary control of one's personal information are influential antecedents, privacy concerns and trust in social media websites mediate each of these respectively. The findings suggest that promotion- and prevention-related behaviors regarding personal information align with the orientation of the antecedents, indicating that regulatory focus theory shows promise for examining the privacy paradox. We conclude by developing a matrix that integrates regulatory focus and social exchange theories to guide future research.     

Electronic Commerce: A Marriage of Management Information Systems and Marketing

The development of the Internet creates many opportunities—for human life, for business, for entrepreneurs, and for consumers. Here, we discuss some of these opportunities; and we concentrate on the perspectives offered by two related disciplines: Marketing and Management Information Systems. In particular, we discuss how the development of electronic commerce creates an opportunity for these two disciplines to form an alliance that has the potential to increase our knowledge about human interactions in cyberspace.     

Dot-Bombs

Abstract

While a great deal can be learned from examining dot-com successes, even more can be learned from studying dot-com failures. The number of failures, unfortunately, is in the many hundreds and has resulted in the loss of billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. The authors describe the major reasons so many firms failed and offer advice for future dot-coms on how to succeed.     

E-Traveling via Information Technology

ABSTRACT

The travel industry has begun to leverage the Internet by mirroring the electronic ticketing systems used by the airlines enabling hotels and tourism institutions in general to develop IT systems similar to American Airlines' Sabre system. These systems initially allowed travel agents to search for flights electronically. Now the customer is empowered to follow the lines of disintermediation and bypass the travel agent entirely. Thus, the travel industry is in a similar phase that manufacturing companies are dealing with, namely more transparent supply chains and flatter organizational structures-a common theme found in conducting e-commerce. Several models are suggested from industry to leverage connections that sell directly to the customer or buy directly from the manufacturer, although they all present potential risks, especially since this direct contact and transparency makes additional customer-partner contact easier and more likely to occur outside the direct control of the companies involved. The most compelling example of this situation is in the travel industry. In essence, the hospitality industries in general (hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and other travel services) are providing information and reservation systems directly to end consumers, entirely bypassing the traditional intermediary of travel agencies.     

Internet Jurisdiction for E-commerce

Internet jurisdiction is an area of increasing concern to e-commerce because of the growth in cross-border e-tailing, both within the United States and globally. Therefore, the need for a global solution is also increasing. In response, this article first defines Internet jurisdiction, also known as cyber jurisdiction, and discusses the risks of Internet jurisdiction for retailers and consumers. Drawing from legal research, the authors examine the legal theories for jurisdiction and the application to e-commerce. Their focus is on United States law because both US and foreign businesses must understand US jurisdictional law due to increased globalization from expanding international trade and more frequent contact with US companies and markets brought about by the Internet. Since standards and case law are still developing worldwide, the authors conclude by providing managerial recommendations to reduce the uncertainty of jurisdiction, should legal action be initiated.     

Web-Based Promotions

Abstract

Numerous business and popular articles continue to appear to stress the importance of the Internet as a powerful and interactive means of communication. As with other media, the web affects viewers' product evaluations and behavioral intentions. This article attempts to understand how students (recently admitted freshmen) form opinions about their school through interaction with the university web site. Multiple studies are conducted using website variables. The results of study one suggest website vividness, interactivity, and entertainment value are crucial in the formation of positive evaluations of and word of mouth behaviors directed toward the university. In study two, these same predictors helped explain word of mouth intentions but contributed little to evaluations.     

The Internet and International Consumer Markets

ABSTRACT

The Internet provides consumers around the world with a new mechanism for expanding and enhancing the information used to evaluate products and a new channel for making purchases. The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of this new information environment for global markets. The critical role that information access plays in shaping global markets is examined. Implications for research on consumers in global markets are drawn.     

A Case Study: How a Retail Jewelry Store Learned to Compete in the E-Commerce Market Place

ABSTRACT

The Case Study describes how a retail jewelry store adapted to a new e-commerce market place. Until the mid-1990s, their marketing strategy included (1) a large dramatic sign visible from surrounding streets, (2) local print and radio advertising, (3) a sales staff that aggressively pushed the perceived value and emotional component of jewelry, and (4) an after-sales follow-up program. Typical customers were in the lower to middle socio-economic segment.

E-commerce created more knowledgeable customers who recognized their buying alternatives. The Store reacted by developing several proprietary web sites, displaying products in the store “as seen on” the home shopping networks or on various web sites, and offering classes on how to become a more knowledgeable jewelry shopper. During the implementation of the e-commerce changes, problems arose in two areas: project management issues (deadlines, staffing, testing) and cultural adaptation issues. Once these issues were effectively addressed, and the e-commerce changes were implemented, sales stabilized and returned to prior levels.

The Case Study explores a well-known strategic principle: all organizations must monitor their changing environment and adapt accordingly, e-commerce is a current example; there will always be others.     

Consumers' Online Information Search for a New Restaurant for Dining-Out

ABSTRACT

By Nelson (1970)'s categorization, purchasing a service such as dining-out at a new restaurant is ‘experience-oriented’ in its nature, and its quality cannot be easily searched before the actual consumption. However, it has been suggested that the interactive nature of the Internet will improve market efficiency by creating a new channel of communication that allows the provision of information about experience attributes in a readily available format (e.g., other consumers' rating online). The paper empirically investigates this notion by exploring consumers' online information search behavior for a new restaurant for fine dining. The extent of usage of various online information sources and the perceived importance of each source are investigated in the United States and in Taiwan. Results show that information from other consumers is considered more important than information from sellers, but that US consumers favor non-Internet sources of information while Taiwanese consumers favor online sources.